The banner on top of the Pennsylvania Golf Association's website includes a small illustration of a golf hole and, behind it, a clubhouse.

Look closely: It's the 18th green at Lancaster Country Club.

LCC is among the best-regarded clubs in the state, which is saying something considering the competition (Oakmont, Merion, etc.).

The resume grows next week, when for the eighth time it hosts the Pennsylvania Amateur Championship Monday-Wednesday, July 25-27.

The club has also hosted the Pennsylvania Open twice, and as you may have heard will host the 2015 U.S. Women's Open.

In the 1970s and '80s, Lancaster showed up regularly on lists such at the Top 100 Tests of American Golf by Golf Digest magazine. A higher profile could get the par-70, William Flynn design back on those lists.

"I think you can expect [LCC] to move up in the national rankings in the next couple years," King Knox, secretary-treasurer of the PGA and an LCC member, said Friday.

"Entries for the amateur are up over the last year or two. I think that speaks well for the reputation of the golf course."

A field of 127 will play in the 54-hole, stroke-play event. The field will be cut to the low 40 scores plus ties after the second round.

Players earned berths at four qualifiers around the state, or through performance-based exemptions.

Leading the local contingent are Zak Drescher and David Denlinger.

Drescher, 22, a senior at Campbell (N.C.) University, has won three of the last four Lanco Amateurs. He is exempt from qualifying for the state am as one of the top 10 amateur finishers in last year's Pennsylvania Open.

Denlinger plays college golf at Charleston Southern. He won the 2008 PIAA championship while a senior at Lancaster Mennonite. He tied for medalist at the state-am qualifier at Harrisburg's Blue Ridge Country Club June 16.

Denlinger also won an amateur event over a solid field at Manada Golf Club near Grantville last month.

Other Lancaster Countians in the field include host club members Mike Sugden, John Barry and Craig Hornberger; Craig Kliewer, Matt Burkhart and J.D. Dornes of Meadia Heights; Rob Rowe of Bent Creek, Trevor Pope of Crossgates and Jud Gemmill of Lancaster Host.

Burkhart finished second by a shot to Drescher at the Lanco Amateur last month at Groff's Farm.

Gemmill is exempt for finishing third in this year's Pennsylvania Public Links championship.

Kliewer tied for second in last year's state mid-amateur. Dornes finished eighth in the state junior July 6-7 at Hershey Country Club.

Cory Siegfried of Philadelphia C.C. won last year's state amateur with a 208 total at Nemacolin Woodlands in southwestern Pennsylvania.

The last PGA "major" to be played at Lancaster C.C., the 2007 state open, was won by then-amateur Mike Van Sickle, son of Sports Illustrated golf writer Gary Van Sickle, with a 7-under-par total of 203.

Knox, such a force in local golf that the Lanco Amateur Championship trophy is now named for him, will not be in the field. He's now 68 years old, a number he shot at this year's Lanco, and will settle for serving as "unofficial" tournament chairman.

LCC will play at about 6,850 for the tournament.

"We want the set-up to be competitive, but not to embarrass anyone," Knox said. "It is amateur golf."

The event is open to spectators, free of charge.

Contact Sunday News Assistant Sports Editor Mike Gross at mgross@lnpnews.com.